Believers Do Not Cut and Run

Psalm 11

Dr. Edwin P. Elliott

I. Life Can Look Hopeless

A. In times and on occasions when a believer should trust God, someone will suggest running a way; cowardice can masquerade as prudence. “To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?” (Psalm 11:1)

1. The identifying mark of a believer is confidence in God; compared to God, human troublemakers are small concerns. “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.” (Psalm 56:11)

2. Believers know better than to measure resources the way the world does; God can resolve any problem in His own way. “And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.” (2 Chronicles 14:11)

B. The wicked can seem powerful. “For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.” (Psalm 11:2)

1. Though wicked people are clever, ultimately they do more damage to themselves than to God’s people. “The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.” (Psalm 10:2)

2. The most outstanding example of all is the plot to murder Jesus which turned out to be God’s means of redeeming sinners. “And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill him.” (Matthew 26:4)

C. Disaster and chaos challenge believers to reconsider their fundamental presuppositions. “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3)

D. Believers are called for just such times. “And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.” (Isaiah 58:12)

E. God’s ultimate foundation never fails. “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” (2 Timothy 2:19)

II. God Remains in Charge

A. Nothing functions outside God’s kingdom; nothing gets past God. “The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.” (Psalm 11:4) “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.” (Psalm 2:4)

B. God constantly evaluates all which takes place. “The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.” (Psalm 11:5)

1. Christians benefit from trials and unbelievers lose everything when they are tried by God. “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” (1 Peter 1:7)

2. Unbelievers so misunderstand reality that they boast of the evidence which will be used against them in the court of eternity. “For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.” (Psalm 10:3)

C. The all-seeing eye of God never winks. “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” (Proverbs 15:3)

D. Where can a person hide from God? “Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.” (Jeremiah 23:24) “If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.” (Psalm 139:8)

III. Justice Will Come

A. The wicked will get what is coming to them as they did at Sodom and in Egypt. “Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.” (Psalm 11:6) “Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;” (Genesis 19:24) “And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt. So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.” (Exodus 9:23-24)

B. The Lord loves the righteous. “For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.” (Psalm 11:7) “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.” (1 Peter 3:12)